1777 |
The first Carolina Day is celebrated by large crowds. Church services are held in St. Michael's Church, whose bells ring to begin the day's activities. This becomes one of the longest held traditions of the day. The General Assembly meets at the Statehouse, where state troops are reviewed. A large dinner in the Statehouse follows. The Palmetto Society, an organization whose sole purpose it was to commemorate the anniversary, dines elsewhere. Over 200 attend that meal, including South Carolina president (governor) John Rutledge. Thirteen regular toasts and many more "irregular" toasts are made to the American cause. The day ends with fireworks and an illumination of the homes in the city.
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1778-1779 |
The Palmetto Society continues to lead the commemoration of the day.
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1780-1783 |
British occupation.
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1783 |
Commemoration of the day by the Palmetto Society continues.
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1794 | A theatrical performance "The 28th of June or the Attack on Fort Moultrie" is held at the French Theatre on Church Street. It is believed that this play continued to be performed on the anniversary of the battle in subsequent years. |
1809 |
The Palmetto Society votes to have an annual oration on the anniversary of the victory at Sullivan's Island. Benjamin A. Markley, an attorney, inaugurates this tradition.
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1813 |
The anniversary of the Battle at Sullivan's Island is celebrated with particular fervor this year, the second of the current war with Britain. The Palmetto Society and the '76 Association join to mark the day.
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1814 |
At the request of the Palmetto Society, the bells of St. Michael's Church ring in commemoration of the 28th of June. The church minutes also record the same request in 1826. It is believed though that the bells have always been played on the anniversary when possible.
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1820 | The illumination of "brillian transparencies" and a musical concert caps Carolina Day this year. |
1824 | A "grand pyrotechnic exhibition" with "five mosaic roses and several flights of rockets" is the highlight of this year's celebration. |
1826 |
To mark the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan's Island, the Palmetto Society attends the Second Independent Church (now the Unitarian Church) and later dines at Tivoli Gardens which was located at the southeast corner of Meeting and Columbus streets.
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1828 |
With the rise of sectionalism Carolina Day becomes a holiday to celebrate the states' rights and opposition to the tariff. With the politicization of the day, the Palmetto Society dissolves the next year.
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1830 |
At the anniversary meal of this year, sixty-one separate toasts are drunk to the defenders of Sullivan's Island, Calhoun, and states' rights.
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1835 |
The belling ringing on Carolina Day this year gets out of hand, when a group of men, led by friends of the sexton, climbs St. Michael's steeple and plays the bells for the better part of the day.
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1836 |
The Moultrie Guards, a militia unit, is formed and adopts the day as their anniversary. The guards will continue to coordinate the celebration until the onset of the War Between the States. Other units that celebrate the day are the Cadet Riflemen, the Charleston Ancient Artillery, and the Washington Light Infantry. |
1842 |
Railroad service between Columbia and Charleston is inaugurated. Celebrations of the completion of the line on Carolina Day take place in both cities. |
1851 |
The Palmetto Guards are formed. They rapidly become one of the most numerous militia units in Charleston. Adopting June 28 as their anniversary, they will continue the celebration of Carolina Day through Reconstruction until the turn of the century. |
1855 | The South Carolina Historical Society is founded on this Carolina Day. The first president of the society is James Louis Petigru. The inaugural address of the society is given by Professor Frederick A. Porcher of the College of Charleston. Professor Porcher provides the mission of the organization when he says, "It proposes to collect information respecting every portion of our state, to preserve it, and when deemed advisable to publish it."
Also, the Moultrie Guards are presented a blue flag made of silk by a group of ladies. This flag, with a view of the Battle at Sullivan's Island, is in the collections of the South Carolina Historical Society.
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1858 |
The cornerstone of Charleston's Calhoun monument is laid with great ceremony this Carolina Day. The procession includes city fire companies, clergy, captains and crews of vessels in port, various societies and fraternal organizations, numerous officials, and many others. |
1863 |
The last mention of Carolina Day commemoration until after the end of the war is found in the Charleston Courier in an advertisement for the Ancient Artillery's annual dinner. |
1867 | The United States Army leads the celebration of Carolina Day this year. A salute is fired at sunrise, and all public buildings are ordered to display the national flag. A concert by the post band is held on the Battery in the evening. The newspaper reports the celebration as being "very quiet." |
1875 |
This is the first year that the anniversary is called Carolina Day. Up until this year, it was variously known as Palmetto Day, the 28th of June, and Sergeant Jasper's Day. |
1876 |
The centennial anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island is one of the largest celebrations ever held on Carolina Day. The cornerstone of a monument to the defenders of Fort Sullivan is laid at White Point Gardens. Dignitaries from around the state attend the festivities, including Republican governor Daniel H. Chamberlain and his opponent, Wade Hampton. Militia units from Georgia, New York, and Massachusetts come to Charleston to participate. Leading the parade as grand marshal is Wade Hampton. In the eyes of some historians, this parade is the first major success in Hampton’s campaign for governor. The day is recorded as being one of the hottest in memory. |
1877 |
The Fort Sullivan monument, the cornerstone of which was laid the year before, is unveiled with great pomp and ceremony. |
1878 |
The monument to the Irish Volunteers is unveiled at St. Lawrence Cemetery. The monument honors Irish dead from the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the War Between the States. The monument, thirty-three feet high, has a bronze tablet depicting an Irish harp resting in the shade of a palmetto and is crowned by a Celtic cross. |
1879 |
The Carolina Light Infantry, a black militia unit founded soon after emancipation, mark their anniversary. |
1883 |
Carolina Day this year is subdued because of mourning for the death of General James Connor. His remains lie in state at Charleston's City Hall, with the funeral following at St. Michael's Church. |
1885 | St. Michael's bells play a variety of tunes this year. The ringer begins at earliest dawn with "Sandy's Little Sawmill," "Right in the middle ob de boong, jing, jing," "Bet my money on a bob-tail horse," "Wait till de clouds roll by, Jennie," and Taffy was a Welshman." The custom of not marking the anniversary on a Sunday is continued this year. The commemoration was made on Monday. |
1894 |
The Washington Light Infantry unveils the bronze plaques on its monument in Washington Park. These tablets pay tribute to men who lost their lives in the War Between the States. |
1926 |
The sesquicentennial of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island is marked in Charleston with the Secretary of the U.S. Navy, governors of the original states, and the battleships U.S.S. Wyoming, U.S.S. Utah, and U.S.S. New York present. Charleston mayor Thomas P. Stoney organizes the activities that include baseball games, boat races, concerts, a pageant, and dances on the Battery. |
1941 | On the eve of American involvement in World War II, A. Moultrie Brailsford delivers an address on the "Spirit of Carolina Day" at the Old Exchange Building. Brailsford, a descendant of General Moultrie, sounds the call for American involvement in Europe, stating "the responsibility is ours to save democracy." |
1974 |
Carolina Day is marked at the Old Exchange Building under the leadership of the Rebecca Motte Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. The speaker is Strom Thurmond, senior U.S. senator from South Carolina. |
1976 | The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan’s Island begins a week-long commemoration of American independence called "Carolina Days." Governor James B. Edwards presides over festivities in Charleston. |
1978 |
The remains of General William Moultrie are re-interred at a grave at the fort that bears his name. His grave remained unmarked after his death and was located only after an extensive archeological search. |
2005 |
The South Carolina Historical Society celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary. |
